Life After Death
by MoonLighter2009
Summary: After the death of Cloud's first true love Zack,Cloud has forgotten how to live and how to love. Refusing to talk about anything that makes him remember the one he lost.Accepting that he can longer feel he gives up. Until a stranger comes back into town.
1. Chapter 1

_The battle is over for now and I find myself getting back into the normal way of life. who am I kidding? I'm going out of my mind with boredom._

Cloud had been sulking about in the slum's for day's now. None of his friend's knew what had made him so down lately. But they weren't going to push him. He had his mind on one person in particular. Vincent Valetine,he was dark and stayed to himself half the time. It made Cloud crazy because Vincent never showed what he was thinking half the alone what his mysterious acquaintance did at he curled his hand around his beer and tipped it back into his mouth letting the liquid wash over was good someday's,other day's he missed Zack and Aeris like hell. But he wasn't going to tell his friends that. God knows what they already thought about him without adding to their suspicions that Cloud was now becoming a reclusive drunk. Yea better not say anything to them.

Tifa was cleaning up in the bar when she noticed Vincent hiding in the shadow's. She left the rag on the counter and leaned against the counter. "What bring's you here Vincent?" she said watching the flash of those creepy red eye's that seemed to stare right through her.

Vincent appeared bored at such an inhumane question that he just scanned the room and vanished back into the shadow's to keep his eye on the blond sitting at the counter.

Tifa threw her hand's up in the air and turned back to wiping the counter top. " i will never understand that man and then again ,maybe it is for the best." she said to herself as she went back to work.

Meanwhile...

Cloud was walking around the slum's feeling lost in his own little world until he felt that coldness that always excited and scared him. He knew who it was but it still made him cautious as to what the guy actually wanted from him.

" Good Evening Strife" that deep silky familiar voice said deep in the shadow's of the alleyway.

Cloud could feel his heart start to race and his palm's got sweaty. He turned around and sucked in his breath. Vincent was in those tight black jeans and a tight black silk shirt that seemed to hug his body in all the right places. The site made Cloud's saliva glands work overtime. He noticed that Vincent had put his hair up in a ponytail. It made him look less intimadating and more humane. "Vincent,why are you out hiding in the dark." He hoped that the dark man would not recognize the trembling in his voice. What was it about Vincent that made him want to spill everything?

" I have as much right as anyone else." Vincent had that self-loathed appearance that made everyone want to punch him. But for Cloud he wanted to jump him right there infront of everyone.

Cloud eyed Vincent thoroughly taking his time to get the image he wanted before he looked into Vincent's eyes. Those beautiful garnet eye's that glowed in the eye's could see anything even into a person's soul. Cloud cringed at that point,He hoped Vincent couldn't see just how horribly mutilated his soul really was because if he could. Then Cloud was surprised that Vincent wasn't running for the hills. "You never come around here." he said with his arm's crossed against his chest to keep himself from shaking. He waited to hear what Vincent had to say.

"I came to see you." Vincent replied,the meaning in his voice suggested that he had been waiting for this private meeting with the blond ex-soldier for awhile.

Cloud smirked inwardly at Vincent's answer. "This is an awkward meeting considering you usually stay at home."

Vincent reached out and grabbed Cloud by his collar pulling the blond-haired man closer to him. "I'm here to talk to you Cloud." he let go of his collar and shrank back in the shadow's leaving Cloud very confused and horny again.

Cloud was more confused at the situation then he was before. He wasn't that was a lie and he knew it. He had been in love once and that was with his friend Zack. After Zack had died Cloud shut off his heart and stopped feeling anything towards anyone. It was unfair that Vincent the creepiest guy on the planet could make his heart race and ache at the same time. He hadn't wanted to believe that he could feel again but the walking sex stick had made that impossible by grabbing him. "Good God, I need to take my mind off of him"

Walking by on his way from the store,Barrett stopped too look at Cloud standing in the middle of the street staring at nothing and mumbling to himself. "Man that kid is weird."

Cloud felt eye's staring at him as he turned too see his friend staring at him with concern. He turned bright red and moved on his way walking quickly to his home. Great!!!!


	2. Chapter 2

Cloud was in deep thought when Tifa threw a dishtowel at him from behind the hit him square in the face and dropped down into his lap soaking his pants with muddy water. He shot his head up and glared at Tifa over his beer. "What the hell was that"

Tifa was handing a beer too one of the customers looking all innocent as she turned to him and winked playfully. Walking over she leaned forward and retrieved the rag from Cloud's lap. "Oops sorry,it must've slipped out of my hand"

Cloud growled under his breath and cursed Tifa's happy mood as he went back to staring into his beer raised his head in alarm when the doors swung open with a crash and a familiar voice cried out.

"CLOUD" Marlene cried as she flung herself into his arm's. Her face was wet with tears and her little body shook with sob's as she held onto his neck.

Cloud held onto the little girl as she cried. Her little heart was racing a mile a minute and her breath's were coming in hiccups she was so upset. Moving her hair from her eyes he looked down into her brown eyes. "Marlene,whats the matter"

"Cloud,The adults won't let me help them." Marlene wailed louder but quieted when a hand settled on her shoulder. With round eyes she turned her head to look at the menacing man behind her but calmed when she saw it was Vincent. "Vincent"

Vincent was looking down at her with annoyance etched into his face. His skin was paler then normal and purple bruises sat out under his eyes making him look like something out of the living dead.

"Marlene,there is no need to cry about adult things. Go play with Denzel ok." Cloud said as he kissed her on the cheek and set her down onto the ground.

Vincent watched Marlene scamper out the door then turned back to Cloud who was drinking another beer. He sat next to him and let out a deep shuddering sigh.

Cloud froze his movements in mid-air and turned to Vincent who looked exhausted and worn out. "You look like shit Vince"

Vincent glared at him icily for a minute then turned away and stood up. "Come to my house tonight alright."

Cloud almost choked on his beer as he inhaled it enough to swallow it before talking. " I'm not in the mood this morning for your shitty attitude." he stood up and left the bar.

Vincent was a little bit fazed at Clouds attitufe toward him this morning. He moved out of the way of a customer and turned toward Tifa. "Cloud seem's off today." Vincent said mildy as he watched Cloud pace back and forth outside.

Tifa looked over Vincent's head and saw Cloud outside talking heatedly to himself. Just that morning he had received word from Reno that Rufus Shinra was rebuilding the Shinra mansion. "Cloud hasn't been the same since Zack died and whats worse he received bad news today." Tifa said while opening a beer with a bottle opener. "Go talk to him." she said before turning back to her customers.

Vincent passed his hand across his face and went outside. He saw Cloud sitting on the dirt thinking about other things. "Cloud,something seems too be bothering you. If you want too talk I'll listen. If not I'll understand." with a small smile he stood up and left leaving Cloud to think about his offer.


	3. Chapter 3

The dream sequence was always the same as soon as Cloud closed his eyes and laid down in bed. He had to wonder if it was his lover's way of showing him that he and Aeris were finally at peace and that Cloud needed to come to term's with his own peace inorder to find was always difficult for Cloud to wake up. He wanted to hold Zack to him forever but he knew eventually that the dream would end and he would be thrust back into the chaotic world that awaited him. Cloud blinked his eyes rapidly and groaned at the evil sunlight streaming in from a little tiny slit in his curtains. He could hear Denzel and Marlene playing downstairs in the bar. Sitting up he waited until the dizziness passed before getting up. Standing up,he padded over to the bathroom and closed the door behind him. Making sure to lock it because of what happened last time when he left the door open. Peeling off his sweaty pajama pants,he turned on the shower and waited until the steam filled the bathroom before sliding under the spray and closing the curtain.

The water was scalding hot and helped Cloud's mind to come back into a tiny resemblance of normal. Not that he ever was normal but he could think it right. The coldness that had so long ago found permanence inside of Cloud's bones was temporarily warmed by the water. He knew it wouldn't last but was thankful that the hot chased away the nightmares and the demon's. Closing his eye's he ducked his head under water and let the liquid drip down into his face and slide down his chest. He could still remember the first time he met Zack. They had been training together and Zack would always give him crap because he was First Class and Cloud was just starting out. He smiled at the fond memories and poured soap into his hands as he scrubbed his hair. As he finished he rinsed out the soap and shut off the water. Stepping out of the shower he dried himself off and tied the towel around his waist before walking over to his closet to look for clothes to wear. He clicked on the light and ruffled through his many items of black. He never wore any other color but that. Pulling out a sleeveless black vest and black jeans along with black underwear he got dressed and tied his boots on before heading downstairs. He never bothered with brushing his hair because it never did what he wanted it to.

Vincent was waiting downstairs at the bar for Cloud to arrive. That guy took forever in the morning' he didn't know better he would say Cloud was possessed by a teenage his head he saw Cloud come down the stairs with his hands in his pockets looking so damn hot. "Cloud,over here."

Cloud paused on the stairs debating whether or not he should go back upstairs and lock himself in or face the dark man. He really didn't want to run scared like a chicken. So he walked over and sat beside Vincent. "What are you doing here,I didn't take you for an alcoholic."

Vincent's mouth pulled up in a smile as he took his bloody mary from Tifa and sipped some of it through the straw. Setting it down he turned to address Cloud. " I know about Shinra."

Cloud swallowed not understanding why he still felt so sick everytime he heard that name. He shouldn't have a weak stomach being an Ex-Soldier and all. But he was and he was afraid of getting his old job back. Lowering his head he whispered. "You heard?"

Vincent watched a shadow cover Cloud's sad blue eyes turning them a stormy just as soon as it had come it had vanished. He reached out and put his hand on Cloud's arm. "Cloud,what's wrong?"

Cloud watched the passerbyers for a few minutes then he turned to Vincent and dropped his guard. "Where did you hear that from?"

Vincent saw a bitterness to Cloud's eyes that wasn't there before. He gently squeezed Cloud's arm hoping it would ease the blond's worries. "Tifa told me,Why you being so gloomy?"

Cloud shook his head slowly not wanting to bring those memories back to life."I'd rather not open an old scar." he stood up stretching.

Vince knew about Cloud's past job as an Ex-Soldier from he didn't know why Cloud was so reluctant too say anything about his previous profession. "Being stubborn as an ass I see."

Cloud's eyebrow's went up and his blue eyes gave off a glacial stare that would freeze anyone. But obviously it had no affect on the psycho infront of him. "I don't wish to discuss my past with you."

Vincent could feel Cloud's anger and sadness because it surrounded him like a curtain that was hard to see through. "Are you sure about that?"

Cloud hated Vincent's arrogant attitude with a passion. "You don't need to know anything about me." he paid for his orange juice and left the bar.

Vincent paid for his half-drunk Bloody Mary and followed the blond outside to the porch as he held up his hands in a sign of peace and surrender. He could not face Cloud's anger right now he did not want that. "I won't press you any further on this Cloud,I promise"

Cloud eyed him wearily then sat down his head in his hands. "Shinra is no longer my place." he felt so drained of energy lately. "Not since Zack and Aeris." he trailed off at the painful memory.

Vincent could imagine how Cloud felt. He had loved someone once too. It hurt him to remember her touch and smile now. He looked over and gasped as Cloud started to cry. "My god,whats wrong."

Cloud hadn't realized that Zack's and Aeris's death had caused this much pain until now. He wiped his eyes and stood up. " I will avenge my friend's,I will show them that I'm not weak."

Vincent couldn't believe this. He watched as Cloud turned to him and smiled sadly. He didn't know why he was feeling these things for Cloud. But he damn sure had to make them stop. "I know you will and I'll help you get your revenge because I know it's very important to you Cloud"

Cloud eyed Vincent wearily then for the first time since his friend's deaths. He smiled "Deal,we will fight Shinra together."

Vincent was stunned at how gorgeous the blond's smile really was. He held his hand out and grasped Cloud's hand tightly in his own. "Deal"

Cloud nodded and stood up finally able to put his past behind him and start over. "I can't do it."

Vincent jumped to his feet and pulled Cloud flush up against his chest. "You did it before with Kadaj,I know you can and I'll be there for you every step of the way."

Cloud could feel the heat rising up in his cheeks. "Um,Vince thanks for the confidence in me."

Vincent pulled away and laughed. "My house tomorrow." he disappeared instantly. Leaving Cloud behind even more confused than ever.


End file.
